Boychuk's taste of NHL bodes well for future

Rookie forward Zach Boychuk is the subject of an in-depth article published today at NHL.com.

Four Rats named 'top rookies'

The Sports Network (TSN) recently ranked the "top 100 rookies" in the NHL for the 2009-10 regular season. Players from Albany placed on the list include Jamie McBain (8), Zach Boychuk (32), Brett Carson (40) and Bryan Rodney (84). Goaltender Justin Peters almost made it, but lacked the ten games required for eligibility. Read more at TSN's website. 

Reinforcements arrive

Key players will be returning to the Albany River Rats' line-up for the postseason and many are coming off excellent stints in the NHL.  

The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday reassigned six skaters to the River Rats, including forwards Jerome Samson, Zach Boychuk and Drayson Bowman, and defensemen Jamie McBain, Bryan Rodney and Casey Borer, while D-man Jay Harrison is set to be reassigned today should he clear waivers. 

Injuries and call-ups reduced Albany to 19 players for the final two games of the regular season, so the reinforcements will be welcomed as the team prepares to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, scheduled to begin Wednesday night at the Times Union Center. 

Jerome Samson

(Photo by JBK-LTD)

Rats' top-scorer Jerome Samson, who was recalled to Carolina for the third time on Friday, returns to town after notching his second career NHL assist with the Canes on Saturday. 

In seven contests with Carolina this season, Samson earned two assists and was credited with 17 shots on goal. 

Samson led the Rats in scoring during the regular season with a career-high 78 points (37 G, 41 A) in 74 games. He ranked fourth in the league in points, second in goals, first in shots, and finished the season with a plus-8 rating. 

Rookie offensive defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to Carolina for the first time on March 16, returns to Albany having performed remarkably well during his first 14 contests in the NHL. 

McBain scored three goals, tallied seven assists, earned a plus-6 rating and averaged well over 20 minutes of ice-time during his first run with the big club. 

McBain led all Rats' defenseman in scoring this season with 40 points (7 G, 33 A) in 68 games and tied for first among Albany D-men with a plus-11 rating. His presence on the blue line and ability to make smart decisions has been a key weapon of the Rats' offense and power play. 

First-year offensive sensation Zach Boychuk comes back to Albany for the first time since being recalled to the Hurricanes in early March. 

Boychuk totaled nine points (3 G, 6 A) and put up a plus-1 rating in 31 games spanned over six separate call-ups with the Canes this year. 

Boychuk ranked second among Albany scorers at the time of his last recall with 36 points (15 G, 21 A) in 52 contests, including eight points in his last six AHL games. 

Defenseman Casey Borer, winner of the AHL's Fred T. Hunt award, was recalled to the Hurricanes last Thursday for the first time this season. 

Borer, who returned to action in January after a lengthy recovery from a broken neck sustained in last year's bus crash, played two games with Carolina. He was responsible for blocking two shots against Montreal on April 8th. 

Borer notched one goal and eight assists in 30 contests with the River Rats this season, including a goal and four assists in his last 10 games. 

Drayson Bowman

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Rookie sniper Drayson Bowman, who was recalled to the Canes for the second time on March 24, scored his first two NHL goals against Tampa Bay last Tuesday. 

Bowman played in a total of nine NHL games this season, eight during his most recent recall, and registered nine shots in his final two matches.

Bowman has 32 points (17 G, 15 A) in 56 games this season with Albany.

Puck-moving blueliner Bryan Rodney, who was recalled to Carolina for the fifth time this season on March 19, picked up 11 points (1 g, 10 A) in 22 games with the Canes this year. 

Rodney tallied an assist in each of his final three NHL tilts. 

Rodney represented the River Rats at the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic and ranks second among Albany defenders with 35 points (7 G, 28 A) in 54 games.

Veteran defenseman Jay Harrison headed to Carolina for the third time this season back on March 3 after earning 14 points and a plus-8 rating in 32 games with the Rats.

Harrison ended up playing more regular season games with Carolina than he did with Albany, scoring six points (1 G, 5 A) in 38 NHL contests.

Unlike the River Rats, Albany's first-round opponent, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, will not be getting a major influx of players from the NHL, as their parent club is heading to the postseason. 

The Penguins have only one clear-day player presently recalled to the NHL, whereas the River Rats, until yesterday, had seven. 

With the regular season officially over, the AHL yesterday released schedules for the first-round of the post-season. Albany's games are listed below.

Game 1: Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 (home)

Game 2: Friday, April 16, 7:00 (home)

Game 3: Sunday, April 18, 3:05 (away)

Game 4: Monday, April 19, 7:05 (away)

Game 5: Wednesday, April 21, 7:00 (home)*

Game 6: Saturday, April 24, 7:05 (away)*

Game 7: Sunday, April 25, 5:00 (home)*

*if necessary

McBain continues to shine

Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, continues to impress, earning first-star honors today as he led the Canes to a thrilling overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

With just 0.9 seconds remaining in the extra stanza, McBain, in a fashion familiar to fans in Albany, received the puck on the blueline and used his deadly slap-shot to thread it like a needle through traffic. Defensive partner Bryan Rodney, who was called up to Carolina on Friday, notched the secondary assist. 

McBain assisted on a goal in the first period by fellow call-up Zach Boychuk, giving the blooming blueliner two points on the night and a total of four in his first three NHL contests. 

Goaltender Justin Peters stopped 15 of 17 shots and picked up his sixth NHL victory after replacing Manny Legace, who sustained a minor leg injury in the second period.

Watch highlights of the game here. Also check out the Raleigh News & Observer for today's feature story on McBain. UPDATE: Post-game interviews with Jamie McBain and Justin Peters. 

Boychuk tallies two assists for Canes

Rookie forward Zach Boychuk last night stayed aggressive on the forecheck and tallied two assists to help lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a decisive 4-1 win of the Ottawa Senators. Boychuk now has six points (1 G, 5 A) and a plus-2 rating in 13 games with the Canes this season. Read post-game comments from Boychuk at the Raleigh News & Observer. Watch highlights of the game here. 

Rats welcome new faces after trades

As many predicted, the Carolina Hurricanes yesterday made a flurry of deals prior to the NHL trade deadline, unloading five veterans, opening up nearly $9 million in salary cap space, and clearing room for prospects from Albany.

When the dust finally settled, the Rats had lost three players and gained three new faces.

Fourth-line center Harrison Reed, who spent the past two seasons with Albany, was dealt to the Colorado Avalanche and will likely join the Lake Erie Monsters in the North Division. 

Carolina made room for rookie forward Zach Boychuk and blueliner Jay Harrison, both of whom were recalled last night.

Veterans Joe Corvo, Aaron Ward, Stephane Yelle, Scott Walker and Andrew Alberts were all traded away for younger players and draft picks. 

Joining the River Rats in the coming days will be Justin Pogge, a talented netminder from Anaheim; Oskar Osala, a large power forward from Washington; and rookie Cedric LaLonde-McNicoll, a natural center from Colorado. 

Pogge, who will be 24 years old in April, has been spending the season with the San Antonio Rampage, where he has earned a 2.57 GAA, .920 SV%, one shutout and a record of 12-7-0-3. 

Pogge started the year with the Bakersfield Condors of the ECHL, registering a 2.69 GAA, .902 SV%, one shutout, and a record of 6-2-0-0. 

Pogge was acquired along with a fourth-round pick from Anaheim in exchange for veteran defenseman Aaron Ward.

Selected in the third-round by Toronto in 2004, Pogge spent his first three professional seasons with the Marlies. He was granted seven starts with the Maple Leafs last season, but did not perform up to expectations and was traded to Anaheim during the summer.

Pogge, a native of Fort McMurray, Alberta, is a product of the Western Hockey League. He spent two years with the Prince George Cougars and another two years with the Calgary Hitmen, putting up a phenomenal 1.72 GAA, .926 SV%, 11 shutouts and a record of 38-10-2-4 during his final junior year. Pogge was honored with the league's MVP award and was named Canadian Hockey League goaltender-of-the-year.

Pogge helped Team Canada win its second consecutive gold medal at the 2006 World Junior Championships with a 1.00 GAA, .952 SV% and an undefeated record of 6-0. 

Pogge is listed at 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and is similar in size and frame to Albany's regular starter, Justin Peters, as well as Carolina's goalie coach Tom Barrasso, who hopes to personally fine-tune the skills of the young netminder.

The acquisition of Pogge gives Albany some stability in net as Justin Peters remains in Carolina. Canes' starter Cam Ward is out indefinitely and Rats' rookie Mike Murphy is sporting a cast/finger-splint.

Recently acquired back-up goalie Ryan Mior, who was signed to a professional tryout contract on Sunday, will likely be released after he recovers from an undisclosed injury suffered on Tuesday.

Oskar Osala, drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round in 2006, comes to Albany from the division rival Hershey Bears, where the Finnish-born 22-year-old has totaled 29 points (15 G, 14 A) in 53 games this season (including two goals and an assist against Albany). 

Osala was acquired along with Brian Pothier (formally of R.P.I.) and a second-round pick from Washington in exchange for defenseman Joe Corvo.

Listed at 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Osala is a powerful winger best known for his speed and hard shot. He knows how to play tough and is not afraid to mix things up from time to time. 

Watch clips of Osala scoring three points against Rochester earlier this season 

After spending a season in the Finnish elite league SM-liiga, Osala signed a three-year deal with the Capitals in 2008. 

Osala tallied 37 points (23 G, 14 A) and a +11 rating in 75 games with the Bears last year and put up another six goals and four assists in 22 playoff contests as Hershey went on to win the Calder Cup. 

Osala was recalled to the Capitals on two occasions, going scoreless in his first two NHL appearances.

Cedric LaLonde-McNicoll is a 21-year-old undrafted rookie center who started his pro career this season with the Lake Erie Monsters. 

The undersized youngster was acquired along with a sixth-round pick from Colorado in exchange for Stephane Yelle and Harrison Reed.

Born in Longueuil, Quebec, LaLonde-McNicoll spent four full seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League prior to going pro in October. The small but speedy playmaker, listed at 5-foot-10, 178 pounds, was the third-highest scorer in the QMJHL last season with 104 points (38 G, 66 A) in 65 games.

LaLonde-McNicoll has 13 points (5 G, 8 A) in 45 games this year with Lake Erie.

Rats' rookies honored

The River Rats' youngsters continue to impress. The AHL announced yesterday that rookies Zach Boychuk and Drayson Bowman were included in the league's "Top Prospects" trading-card set and first-year defenseman Jamie McBain was selected by the Hockey News for this week's "Hot List."

Peters, Boychuk and Goertzen returned

With the NHL entering a two-week break for the Olympics, the Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned goaltender Justin Peters and forwards Zach Boychuk and Steven Goertzen to the Albany River Rats. 

Peters is coming off the first two NHL starts of his career after being recalled on February 5th. He earned two wins, a 1.51 GAA, .950 SV%, and a fair share of praise from his coaches, teammates, fans and the local press. 

In 34 games with the River Rats this season, Peters has a record of 18-13-2, with one shutout, a 2.55 GAA and .916 SV%.

The return of Peters gives the Rats three goaltenders and will likely result in the reassignment of veteran Mike Morrison to the ECHL.

Zach Boychuk, who was recalled on Friday night, picked up his first NHL goal on Saturday against the legendary Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils. Boychuk now has a goal and three assists in 12 games with the Hurricanes this season. 

Boychuk ranks among the AHL's top rookies and is one of the Rats' leading scorers with 27 points (21 G, 22 A) in 43 games.

Gritty checking forward Steven Goertzen returns to Albany after spending six games with the Canes. He was recalled on February 2 and dropped the gloves Tuesday night with Bryan Allen of the Florida Panthers.

The reassignment of Boychuk and Goertzen gives the Rats 13 healthy forwards as the team prepares for Monday's important divisional match-up against the Norfolk Admirals. 

The Rats may reassign a skater to the Florida Everblades by tomorrow.

Boychuk scores, Peters wins again

Netminder Justin Peters and rookie forward Zach Boychuk last night helped lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a 5-2 victory over the New Jersey Devils. Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union has the details. 

Canes trade Cullen

The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday traded forward Matt Cullen to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a second round draft pick in 2010.

The trade gives the Canes an extra defenseman and may result in the reassignment of Albany alternate captain Brett Carson.

The move also means rookie Zach Boychuk will be spending some extra time in the NHL, as three Carolina forwards remain sidelined with injuries. Boychuk was recalled last night immediately after the Rats' 5-2 loss to the Hershey Bears.

Albany captain Pat Dwyer, checking forward Steven Goertzen and goaltender Justin Peters also remain with the big club.

The Rats will be offered some support and rare stability over the next two weeks as the NHL breaks for the Olympics. Reinforcements will likely be sent down in time for Monday afternoon's home game against the Norfolk Admirals.

The Rats will be short one skater tonight against the Binghamton Senators.

Boychuk back

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned rookie forward Zach Boychuk to the River Rats, giving Albany 20 healthy skaters as the team prepares for Wednesday's away game in Binghamton.

Boychuk was recalled to Carolina on Friday and earned two assists in two games with the Canes over the weekend. 

Boychuk is the Rats second highest leading scorer with 12 goals and 15 assists in 41 games. He ranks among the AHL's top rookies and his five game-winners ties for fifth best in the league.

News & Notes UPDATED

• Goaltender Justin Peters today was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes. Canes' starter Cam Ward is experiencing an upper-body muscle problem, possibly related to a chronic back issue. Coach Paul Maurice say Peters could make his NHL debut tomorrow night against the New York Islanders. Netminder Mike Morrison, who was reassigned to the ECHL yesterday, will likely be returned to the River Rats. Mike Murphy has recovered from a hip injury and should be able to start for Albany tonight against the Senators in Binghamton. The Rats signed goalie Tyler Sims temporarily to play back-up.

• Rookie forward Zach Boychuk was also recalled to the Hurricanes today. Carolina forwards Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu recently joined Erik Cole and Scott Walker on the team's injured list. Boychuk will likely skate tonight on a line with Brandon Sutter and Pat Dwyer as the Canes take on the Sabres in Buffalo. 

• Forward Jiri Tlusty yesterday was reassigned to the River Rats. Tlusty has a goal and five assists in 18 games with the Hurricanes this year. The former first-round draft pick was acquired in December in a trade with Toronto and appeared in four games with Albany earlier this season. Read more in the Troy Record. 

• Gritty winger Steven Goertzen made his debut with the Hurricanes Wednesday night in Calgary. He saw just over six minutes of ice-time and registered an even plus/minus rating as the Canes fell 4-1 to the Flames. Goertzen will play again tonight in Buffalo alongside Stephane Yelle and Rod Brind'Amour. 

• Rumors are swirling that Hurricanes' veteran blueliner Niclas Wallin will soon be traded to the San Jose Sharks for a second-round draft pick. That means defenseman Brett Carson has likely earned a full-time NHL spot. D-man Joe Corvo, who was cut with a skate blade in late November, recently returned to the line-up, giving the Hurricanes an extra defenseman. Wallin was a healthy scratch Wednesday night. UPDATE: The trade is off. Wallin decided not to waive his no-trade clause.

• Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain has been getting his fair share of press coverage lately. Check out this article in the Albany Times Union and these two features at the Schenectady Daily Gazette. 

• The fourth annual Ronald McDonald House jersey auction will be held tomorrow night at the Times Union Center after the Rats face the Springfield Falcons at 5 pm. Read more at the Rats' website. Also check out pictures of players visiting the Ronald McDonald House and other locations around the Capital District.

• Forward Milan Gajic of the Florida Everblades has put up six goals and 11 points in his first six games since returning from a long-term lower-body injury. Gajic skated with Albany during the preseason and his services may soon be needed once again.
  

New Canes in fast lane

Albany prospects talk about their NHL experience with Chip Alexander at the Raleigh News & Observer. 

Boychuk is back

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned forward Zach Boychuk to the Albany River Rats.

Canes' forwards Sergei Samsonov and Chad LaRose are close to recovering from injuries and at least one will play tomorrow against Tampa Bay.

In nine games with the Hurricanes this season, Boychuk has one assist and averaged 10:43 ice-time. He was recalled for the third time this season on January 5, but played a limited role and was held scoreless. 

Ranking among the top rookies in the AHL, Boychuk is currently the Rats' second highest leading scorer with 24 points (11 G, 13 A) in 34 games.

The return of Boychuk gives the Rats 12 healthy forwards for the first time in more than two weeks. 

Future may be now for Canes

Good article on the call-ups in Carolina today in the Raleigh News & Observer. 

Boychuk, Tlusty called back up

The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday recalled forwards Zach Boychuk and Jiri Tlusty for the second time in less than a week. 

Both players were returned to Albany on Saturday, but the parent club was forced to summon the youngsters again due to a string of nagging injuries. 

Forwards Chad LaRose, Scott Walker, Sergei Samsonov and Erik Cole all remain sidelined. 

This marks the third call-up of the season for Boychuk, who picked up an assist in his first three games with Carolina this year. 

Boychuk performed exceptionally well with the Canes this past Saturday against the New York Rangers. He was held scoreless, but chipped in defensively and was the driving force behind several offensive opportunities. 

Tlusty also returns to Carolina for the third time this season. He has a goal and an assist in three games with the Canes this year. Tlusty earned the primary assist on the Canes' only regulation goal Saturday.

The call-up of Boychuk and Tlusty leaves the River Rats with a limited number of forwards. 

Rob Hennigar is still out with an injury sustained in early December; Brad Herauf suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday; Michael Ryan has been out with an injury since last Wednesday; Nicolas Blanchard has one game remaining on a three-game suspension; and Matt Schepke was released Monday from a professional tryout contract. 

The Rats will need reinforcements for tonight's contest against Adirondack if Ryan and Herauf are unable to play.

Boychuk, Tlusty returned

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned forwards Zach Boychuk and Jiri Tlusty to the Albany River Rats. 

Both players were recalled for today's afternoon contest against the New York Rangers. Each had several memorable moments and displayed few mistakes, helping the Canes to a 2-1 overtime victory. 

Zach Boychuk demonstrated his skill-sets well, creating opportunities on the forecheck and hustling back to chip in defensively during his 10:15 of ice-time.

Tlusty was on the ice for 7:19 and picked up an assist after Tom Kostopoulos batted in a blocked shot Tlusty had thrown on the net.

Boychuk, Tlusty called up

The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled forwards Zach Boychuk and Jiri Tlusty from the Albany River Rats. 

Carolina forwards Scott Walker and Sergei Samsonov were sidelined on Thursday with upper-body injuries. Both are listed as day-to-day and are expected to miss the team's next contest, scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. 

Boychuk and Tlusty will likely enter the line-up tomorrow alongside fellow Albany alumni Pat Dwyer, Brett Carson, and Brandon Sutter, all of whom have been logging significant ice-time with the Rats' parent club.

Boychuk, a highly-touted prospect and former first-round draft pick, joins the Canes for the second time this season. He registered an assist during a brief two-game call-up in early November.

Boychuk has been on fire with the River Rats lately, tallying five goals and four assists in his last ten games. The rookie sensation has a team-leading 11 goals and ranks second in team-scoring with 27 points. 

Tlusty, also a former first-round pick, has been shuffling from place to place since Carolina acquired him in a trade with Toronto on December 3rd. 

Tlusty was bogged down by immigration issues for about two weeks after skating in two games with the Hurricanes in December. He returned to Albany on December 27th.

Tlusty was held scoreless in four games with the Rats, but notched a goal in his first contest with Carolina on December 11th. 

Tlusty has 76 games of NHL experience under his belt. He holds a respectable 11 goals and 10 assists during his time in the big league.

Boychuk on the right path

Zach Boychuk is putting together quite the highlight reel in his first professional season.

In Syracuse on Saturday, the 20-year-old rookie forward took a pass from Jerome Samson, weaved the puck between the legs of a Crunch defender, cut across the goal mouth and buried it on the short side. 

The night before in Lowell, Boychuk went end-to-end, blew past two defenders, and out-maneuvered the sprawling Devils' netminder for another beauty. 

Against Providence the previous week, the youngster flew down the left wing and unleashed a shot so fast and accurate most on the arena never even saw it hit the top corner of the net. 

Fast hands, a deadly release, tremendous acceleration, creativity with the puck, and continuous determination on the forecheck are just some of the traits that make Boychuk the natural-born goal-scorer and playmaker the Hurricanes were hoping for when they selected him in the first round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. 

Coming off a spectacular junior career, Boychuk is adapting quickly to the professional level. 

Boychuk's offensive talents were never really in doubt, but the limitations of his size and defensive play had some people questioning his ability to make the transition. 

Zach Boychuk

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Now, nearly three months into the season, Boychuk has proven to be one of the top rookies in the league, tallying 20 points (9 G, 11 A) in 30 games, not to mention an assist in two games with the Hurricanes during a call-up in November. 

Boychuk's small stature rarely slows him down, as the shifty forward easily avoids and spins off checks. He has been lined up a few times, but absorbed the hits well and showed no signs of weakness. 

Boychuk has even rattled the glass with a few checks of his own.

Knowing when and where to take chances and how to recover when things go wrong is an essential part of the game, one that Boychuk is picking up fast. 

Boychuk held a team-low minus-9 rating after his first 22 games, underscoring a lack of defensive awareness. 

Lately, however, Boychuk has demonstrated a new level of responsibility in his own end, staying aware defensively while remaining aggressive offensively. 

In Boychuk's last eight contests, he has a plus-7 rating. He has not registered a negative game in all of December. 

Boychuk is equipped with all the tools of an elite player. He still requires some slight fine-tuning, but is developing well at the AHL level and is certainly in the running for a full-time NHL slot by next season. 

For now, fans in Albany have a future star to watch. Boychuk is on the path to a long and prosperous career.

Chatting with Zach Boychuk

Zach Boychuk

(Photo by Jennifer Bock)

Zach Boychuk recently stepped into the AHL Chat Room to answer some questions from the fans. Read the transcript here.